You Want Me to Eat What?! Tomatoes Foods I 1st 6 weeks project sample

Origin of Tomatoes Originated in South America The first domesticated tomato may have been a little yellow fruit, similar in size to a cherry tomato, grown by the Aztecs of Central Mexico What did the fruit or vegetable looked like when it was first used? Where was it grown?

History – How Tomatoes Traveled Spanish explorer Cortes may have been the first to transfer the small yellow tomato to Europe after he captured the Aztec city of Tenochtítlan, now Mexico City, in 1521. How did your fruit or vegetable come into existence? Who discovered it?

History – How Tomatoes Traveled Although Christopher Columbus, may have taken them back as early as 1493 How did your fruit or vegetable get to different places? What was the 1st original packing or label? What were they 1st used for?

Religion Aztecs and other peoples in the region used the fruit in their cooking; it was cultivated in southern Mexico and probably other areas by 500 BC. The Pueblo people are thought to have believed that those who witnessed the ingestion of tomato seeds were blessed with powers of divination. What religion or cultural groups place healing or wealth in your fruit or vegetable?

Typical foods of Americas Salsa Ingredients 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 seeded and minced jalapenos, plus 2 roasted, skinned and chopped jalapenos 1 red bell pepper, fine dice 1/2 red onion, fine chopped 2 dry ancho chiles, seeded, cut into short strips and snipped into pieces 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 lime, juiced Chili powder, salt, and pepper, to taste Fresh scallions, cilantro or parsley, to taste Directions In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Place in refrigerator for up to 12 hours for flavor infusion. Serve with tortilla chips. Include 2 recipes with pictures Be sure to share a recipe with the class for sampling

Aztec Chicken Recipe Ingredients: 2 lg ripe tomatoes 4 to 5 chipotle chilies 1/2 cup chicken stock 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 4 lg garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 lg white onion, thinly sliced in half moons 2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 4 to 6 cups shredded cooked chicken salt and pepper, to taste Heat a griddle over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Add the tomatoes and roast, turning several times, until blackened on all sides. Remove and let sit until cool to touch. Working over a mixing bowl to catch any juice, peel off the black skin, cut and remove any seeds. Coarsely chop into large chunks and add to a food processor or blender. Add the chilies and the chicken stock and process until coarse. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. When hot, add the garlic and onions; sautée 2 to 3 minutes until soften. Add the tomato chili mixture, cumin and nutmeg and stir for 3 minutes to heat. Reduce heat to medium; add shredded chicken and simmer uncovered, until, most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt. Recipe #2

Spanish Distribution - Caribbean The Spanish distributed the tomato throughout their colonies in the Caribbean. What countries use tomatoes?

Spanish Distribution - Asia They also took it to the Philippines where it spread to Asia. Be sure to create a slide for each country with a map, flag and the way it is used like in a recipe

Spanish Distribution - Spain The Spanish also brought the tomato to Europe where cultivation began in the 1540s and was certainly being used as food by the early 17th century in Spain. Country #3

Cultural Impact – Food Fight The town of Bunol, Spain, annually celebrates La Tomatina, a festival centered on an enormous tomato fight. What impact does your fruit or vegetable have on culture?

Spanish Distribution - Italy In certain areas of Italy, such as Florence, however, the fruit was used solely as a tabletop decoration before it was incorporated into the local cuisine in the late 17th or early 18th century. Country #4 - what country uses it the most? Tell me how and why

Italian Tomato Sauce 2 (28 ounce) cans tomato puree 1 (28 ounce) can peeled plum tomatoes 2 cloves garlic 1 small onion, diced 6 cloves 1 teaspoon basil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 2 tablespoons sugar 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup grated cheese Directions: In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Empty plum tomatoes into large bowl and squash with your hands. Add all ingredients (including any meatballs or sausage you want to add) to pot and simmer for 3 hours. Include a recipe from the most used country of their most well known dish

Fun Facts - Consumption According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans eat between 22- 24 pounds of tomatoes per person, per year. (More than half of those munchies are ketchup and tomato sauce.) Give a couple of fun facts. Here’s a website to get you started: http://www.thefactsite.com/2012/02/100-random-food-facts.html

Cultural Impact Tomatoes are also a popular "nonlethal" throwing weapon in mass protests How are they used in other cultures?

Work Cited http://www.tomatodirt.com/tomato-facts.html Be sure to cite your sources here for credit